I suspect the DPA "active" adapter cable thing with the capsule mount at one end and the microdot at the other contains voltage converter circuitry which steps up from 5V to whatever bias voltage the full size capsule needs to operate.. probably not to full specification as if using the DPA modular amplifier bodies, but "good enough for taper work" given the compact stealthiness trade-off.

Per DPA, the MMP-GR/GS cables were designed to allow the full-size capsules to work with wireless transmitters, many of which supply 5 V (they spec the cables at 5 V and 1 mA for full performance). As you suspect, the max SPL decreases, while the noise increases, so not full spec (compared to the MMP-ER/ES XLR cables), but still decent for many taper applications. No idea how this affects run-time, but DPA told me the MPS-6030 or MMA-6000 would work fine with them. Very curious about how they would perform with the d:vice.

I suspect the DPA "active" adapter cable thing with the capsule mount at one end and the microdot at the other contains voltage converter circuitry which steps up from 5V to whatever bias voltage the full size capsule needs to operate.. probably not to full specification as if using the DPA modular amplifier bodies, but "good enough for taper work" given the compact stealthiness trade-off.

DPA mics are pre-polarised (ie: electrets) so they don't need a capsule bias voltage at all.

I should have referred to it as FET or transistor power I suppose. Correct, no high-voltage polarization bias is required with pre-polarized electrets, so running the capsules off a lower supply voltage won't affect capsule polarization the way it does with an externally polarized capsule. It's simply the power requirements of the buffer/amplification circuitry which needs to be met, and those requirements vary depending on the specifications of that circuitry, hence the 5V, 48V and 130V DPA variants.

Most users are familiar with pre-polarized eletrets in the form miniature microphones, most often but not always with a non-balanced output. Use of electrets throughout the entire high-quality, regular-sized, balanced-output capsule range is unique to DPA as far as I'm aware. Historically when other manufacturer's have used pre-polarized capsules in their non-miniature lines, it's been restricted to their lower-quality microphone lines. I've long thought about the implications of high quality DPA capsules being pre-polarized with regards to alternate non-phantom powering options, and this is the first I've seen of them leveraging that particular advantage.

Use of electrets throughout the entire high-quality, regular-sized, balanced-output capsule range is unique to DPA as far as I'm aware. Historically when other manufacturer's have used pre-polarized capsules in their non-miniature lines, it's been restricted to their lower-quality microphone lines.

Sort of off topic but I'm almost positive that I read that the AKG CK_X series is a pre polarized version of the original CK_ series of capsules.

The d:vice™ MMA-A comes with one Micro USB-B to iOS (Lightning) and one Micro USB-B to PC / Mac (USB-A) cable.

So it should be able to interface with a PC in addition to iPhones/iPads. Perhaps there will be Android connectivity in the future? I see two different images that appear to show the d:vice accepting both types of cables.

What happens when Apple inevitably changes the lightning connector to something else?

If anybody is in SoCal, there will be a hands on demo with the DPA rep at Location Sound:

On Tuesday, June 13 (9:30 AM - 12 PM) at Location Sound, join Eric Stahlhammer, DPA's Area Sales Manager and (schedule-allowing) Peter Ølsted, a Los Angeles-based Production Sound Mixer. In this informal Open House and Q&A session, Eric and Peter will demo the latest DPA products such as the d:vice Digital Audio Interface, and much more. Save the date!